Kenyan Environmental Advocate Shatters Guinness World Record with 72-Hour Tree Hug
In a remarkable display of endurance and environmental commitment, Kenyan activist Truphena Muthoni has officially set a new Guinness World Record for the longest marathon hugging a tree. The 22-year-old environmental advocate clocked an astonishing 72 hours of continuous tree hugging, earning recognition from Guinness World Records in a statement released on Monday, January 26.
A Powerful Environmental Statement Through Endurance
Guinness World Records described Muthoni's achievement as an extraordinary act by a "passionate environmental activist from Kenya sending a strong message about protecting the Earth after hugging a tree for three whole days." The organization confirmed that Truphena Muthoni has set the record for longest marathon hugging a tree with an unbelievable total of 72 hours, surpassing all previous attempts in this unique category.
The Evolution of the Tree-Hugging Record
The journey to this record has seen multiple champions from across Africa:
- The record was first established in 2024 by Faith Patricia Ariokot from Uganda with a time of 16 hours and 6 seconds
- Abdul Hakim Awal from Ghana then broke it later in 2024 with 24 hours, 21 minutes, and 4 seconds
- Truphena initially claimed the title in February 2025 by setting a new 48-hour record
- Frederick Boakye from Ghana briefly held the record with 50 hours, 2 minutes, and 28 seconds before Truphena reclaimed it with her current 72-hour achievement
From Symbolism to Sustained Commitment
Truphena, who founded her own environmental initiative called Hug the Earth, explained to Guinness that her two record attempts represented different phases of her environmental advocacy. "The first attempt was a statement, a way to reintroduce humanity to the Earth through a simple, intimate act," she revealed. "The second attempt was a commitment. I realised that the world needed more than symbolism; it needed endurance, consistency, and proof that care for the planet is not momentary. Doing it twice was my way of saying that climate action is not a one-off event but a sustained responsibility."
Learning Through Experience: Preparation and Adaptation
As an ambassador of the 15 Billion Trees Campaign, Truphena shared valuable lessons from her first attempt that enabled her to achieve the much longer duration during her second record-breaking effort. Initially, she engaged in dry fasting and reduced water intake to train her body for extended periods without sustenance.
"However, I later realised this approach was a mistake, as it placed unnecessary strain on my kidneys and increased the risk of serious health complications," she admitted. "I also overprepared physically during my first attempt by doing strenuous exercises driven by nervousness rather than strategy."
For her successful 72-hour attempt, Truphena adopted a completely different preparation strategy: significantly increasing her water intake in the weeks leading up to the challenge to properly condition her body and protect her organs, while approaching her training in a calm, relaxed, and confident manner.
"This made a remarkable difference; I was not physically tired at all during the attempt," she noted. "The main challenge I experienced was sleepiness, largely because I missed proper sleep the day before the record began. Overall, the experience taught me that endurance is not about deprivation or intensity but about preparation, balance, and respecting the body's limits."
Record Rules and Rest Periods
According to Guinness World Records marathon attempt regulations, Truphena earned five minutes of rest for every hour of activity. The organization explained that it was her decision whether to take breaks every hour or accumulate them for longer rest periods throughout the 72-hour challenge.
A Message of Love and Connection
Through her extraordinary achievement, Truphena hopes to inspire global awareness about environmental protection. Guinness World Records quoted her powerful message: "Through her record attempts, Truphena hopes to spread a message throughout the world that healing the planet does not require violence, conflict, or fear."
She elaborated further: "Hugging a tree shows that nature is not separate from us; it is family. If one person can stay connected for 72 hours, then surely humanity can learn to protect what still sustains us. Also, before we plant a million trees, we must nurture a million hearts that care. Conservation should come from a place of love instead of instruction."
Truphena Muthoni's 72-hour tree-hugging marathon stands not only as a Guinness World Record but as a profound testament to the power of peaceful environmental activism and the human capacity for endurance when driven by genuine commitment to planetary protection.
